German course

Lesson 1 of 240

Hello, how are you in German

Priya's first morning in Berlin starts at Bäckerei Krause. Renate says good morning before Priya has even shut the door, and she waits.

A polite yak is already at the corner table, a Pfannkuchen in reach and a Milchkaffee he has not touched.

By the end, you'll say hello, good morning or good afternoon, and answer how you are.

Renate wants Guten Morgen first. Hallo is fine later. Keep Wie geht's for friends.

By the end of this lesson

Greet someone, say good morning or good afternoon, and answer how you are.

  • Hallo.Hello
  • Guten Morgen.Good morning
  • Guten Tag.Good afternoon
  • Wie geht's?How are you?
  • Wie geht es Ihnen?How are you?
  • Gut, danke.I'm good, thanks

Scene — the bakery door

First morning on Fliederstraße. Priya pushes the bakery door. Renate is already looking at her from the counter.

The corner table has two chairs. Anton sits there, with a Pfannkuchen and a Milchkaffee he has not touched.

Priya enters the bakery as Renate watches from the counter and Anton sits at the corner table.

Learn — hello and how are you

Six short lines cover hello, good morning, good afternoon, and two ways to ask how you are.

You'll also get a ready answer: I'm good, thanks.

  1. Priya pauses in the doorway with one hand on the door and lifts her other hand in greeting.

    Hallo.

    Hello

    When to use it: Say this as a simple hello to someone you meet.

    Learn it as one piece for a short hello.

  2. Renate looks toward the entrance from behind the counter.

    Guten Morgen.

    Good morning

    When to use it: Say this in a shop or bakery in the morning.

    Learn it as one piece for the first word at the door.

    Say it: Morgen puts the stress on the first syllable.

  3. Priya and Renate face each other across the counter in a polite greeting.

    Guten Tag.

    Good afternoon

    When to use it: Say this in a shop later in the day, after morning.

    Learn it as one piece, the daytime hello.

  4. Anton turns toward Priya while his Pfannkuchen and Milchkaffee remain untouched on the corner table.

    Wie geht's?

    How are you?

    When to use it: Ask this after hello with a friend or a regular.

    Learn it as one piece when you check in with someone.

  5. Priya leans forward slightly and opens one hand toward Renate across the counter.

    Wie geht es Ihnen?

    How are you?

    When to use it: Ask this of a stranger, staff, or someone new.

    Learn it as one piece with new people and staff.

  6. Renate gives Anton a small nod while he remains seated at the corner table.

    Gut, danke.

    I'm good, thanks

    When to use it: Say this when someone asks how you are.

    Learn it as one piece to say you are fine.

    Say it: Danke puts the stress on the first syllable.

Story — she waits

Watch Priya's first hello at the counter. Renate will not move on until she hears the morning one.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. The lamps are still on. Renate looks up from the counter.
  2. RenateGuten Morgen.Good morning.
  3. She waits. Priya still has a hand on the door.
  4. PriyaGuten Tag.Good afternoon.
  5. RenateGuten Morgen.Good morning.
  6. PriyaGuten Morgen.Good morning.
  7. RenateWie geht es Ihnen?How are you?
  8. PriyaGut, danke.I'm good, thanks.
  9. Anton looks at Priya as if he already knows her order.
  10. AntonGuten Morgen.Good morning.
  11. PriyaHallo.Hello.
  12. He looks at Renate. He does not stand up.
  13. AntonWie geht's?How are you?
  14. RenateGut, danke.I'm good, thanks.

Practice — morning or afternoon

Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Hallo.Drop the English here
    Guten Morgen.Drop the English here
    Guten Tag.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its German, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You want a short hello, not a morning or afternoon greeting.

  4. Find the mistake

  5. Fill the gap

    I'm good, thanks

    Gut, ____.

  6. What does it mean?

    Guten Tag.

  7. Swap the word

    It is afternoon at the bakery. Greet Renate the daytime way.

    Guten ____.

  8. Pick the reply

    Renate says:

    Wie geht es Ihnen?

    How are you?

    And you reply with:

  9. What do you say?

    You already said hi to a close friend. Ask how they are, the short way.

  10. Build the line

    How are you?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

Say it — say it back

Now you're Priya on your first morning at the bakery. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. RenateGuten Morgen.Good morning.
  2. Priya (you)Say good morning back. It is still morning.

    Guten Morgen.

    Good morning

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Hallo.Hello
Guten Morgen.Good morning
Guten Tag.Good afternoon
Wie geht's?How are you?
Wie geht es Ihnen?How are you?
Gut, danke.I'm good, thanks
Next: lesson 2Come in, sit down

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these hellos handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your hellos ready for the door.

Open Yak Cards